Perfect?
by Kumo13
Summary: Alfred reveals to the younger Robins why Nightwing is the way he is. They find themselves rather shocked to be honest.


**Ok, this is just a little something I wrote when I saw this thing about Jason complaining about how perfect Nightwing was, and I felt the need to write something like this, both Tim and Jay have been pretty hostile towards Dick on this premise before so I thought I might write something to show that no nightwing's life as robin was not perfect or easy. Anyways, here we go. Me no own**

All three of the younger Robin boys were gathered together at the kitchen table, brought together by the one thing they could all agree on.

That they would never be as perfect as their big brother.

Sure they all loved Dick, but it didn't change the fact that in everyone's eyes, especially Bruce's Dick was perfect. He set a standard that none of them believe they could ever reach, and because of this they would never be good enough it seemed.

"My, what? may i ask, young masters, has you all looking so irritated?" Asked Alfred as he walked into the room.

"Tt, what else except for the fact that one of us can ever hope to measure up to the mighty Dick Grayson. How easy he must have it being so talented and perfect and favoured above the rest of us." Jason droned sarcastically. The other two only grunting in agreement.

"Is this honestly what you think of your brother, even you two?" Alfred questioned seeming calm but there was a hint of something in his eyes that they couldn't quite recognise.

"Honestly. Yes, Alfred. Do you know how many times I've been measured up to Dick by Bruce and come short by a landslide, it doesn't matter how hard I try or how smart I am. I'm never good enough." Tim said with a frustrated growl in his voice.

"It's not that I resent Grayson for who he is. More what he represents to me, what I can never hope to be, the perfect son father could ever wish for." Damian mumbled forlornly into the quiet air.

Alfred regarded them all with a type of frustration yet understanding look that they'd never seen on his face before.

"So you believe that master Bruce believes master Dick is perfect in every way, and that master Dick had it easy cause he was naturally talented and didn't have any standards to live up to like the rest of you?" Alfred asked. After seeing them all nod, he continued.

"You are very wrong. If anything master Dick had to live up to even higher standards than the rest of you. He had to live up to Batman's standards. Bruce demanded that everything he did was perfect, if he didn't have a perfect report card he would be grounded. If he made a mistake in training he would have to continue until he did it right at least a hundred times. If he made a mistake during a mission, no matter how big or small, he would be given tougher training and would be grounded. Perfection was something that had been demanded of hime from Bruce. And, fueled by the fear of being sent back to the Juvenile Detention Centre, he did his best to live up to this standard. Try and imagine it, a tiny 9 year old being asked to do the impossible by the man who could send him away at any time. And yet even today Bruce demands a level of perfection he is not capable of. He still believes master Dick is not strong enough. The only reason he hasn't delivered the same treatment to its full extent to you is because master Dick wont let him" Alfred said never looking away from the boys once.

"Wait. What? What on earth was Dickiebird doing in Juvie?" Jason asked confused, being the first to get over the initial shock of the revelation.

"He was placed there after his parents died because no one wanted him and all the orphanages in Gotham were full, that and his social worker was very racist. He was there for three months before Bruce got him out. He was eight." Alfred explained calmly.

"He strives to be perfect because it's what he's been trained to do, even though he feels as far away from perfect as he ever could. He strives for it because it's what he believes he needs to be in order to protect all of you." Alfred said and turned to leave, stopping to say. " I hope you better understand the burden that has been placed on your brother's shoulders, and that it should not be something you desire." And continued on his way leaving three dumbstruck and guilty boys, yet determined. They would find a way to help out their brother, to share his burden.

After all, no one is perfect.

 **Please review, I'm always excited to see what you thought.**


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